A field study examining leader-member exchange (LMX): Challenging the universally positive conceptualization of LMX

The construct of Leader-Member Exchange (LMX) - which emphasizes the quality of the relationship within supervisor-subordinate dyads - has received much empirical support over the last 25 years. Although high LMX relationships have generally been construed as universally positive in the scientific literature, some recent evidence suggests that: (a) all employees may not have an equal opportunity to develop high LMX relationships with their superiors, and (b) some high LMX employees may actually perform below the level o f their low LMX counterparts. In order to address both the positive and negative aspects o f LMX, the present thesis proposed and tested the Developmental Processing Model of LMX. Building on the seminal work of Dienesch and Liden (1986), this model makes an important distinction between automatic vs. conscious-based leader-member relationship development processes. Where automaticbased LMX development is conceptualized to occur rapidly based on supervisorsubordinate similarity/dissimilarity, conscious-based relationships develop more slowly based on a work-related behavior/attribution cycle. As a means of discriminating automatic from conscious-based relationship development processing, the Relationship Development over Time (RDT) scale was developed. The psychometric properties of this instrument were tested in Study 1, which consisted of 187 undergraduate participants who were employed at least part-time. Hypothesis testing occurred in Study 2, which utilized 83 sales representative and their respective managers as well as 70 back office insurance employees and their supervisors. The results o f both Study 1 and 2 determined that the RDT scale: (a) possesses high internal consistency reliability, (b) appears to be measuring a single underlying latent variable, and (c) shows evidence of construct validity. In Study 2, automatic-based relationship processing was found to be associated with higher LMX, OCBs, perceived leader-member similarity, and increased supervisory ratings of employee performance (and vice versa). Conversely, conscious-based relationships were linked with higher objectively measured performance, reduced perceptions of organizational justice, and increased employee intentions to leave. The implications of these findings to Dienesch and Liden’s developmental model, as well as the model proposed herein, are discussed

Differential Item Functioning and Measurement Invariance of Self- and Proxy-Reports: An Evaluation of Objective Quality of Life Measures for People with Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities

University of Minnesota Ph.D. dissertation. January 2015. Major: Social Work. Advisor: Elizabeth Lightfoot. 1 computer file (PDF); xi, 160 pages.Abstract The field of intellectual disabilities and developmental disabilities (ID/DD) uses objective quality of life indicators for policy and program development (Verdugo, Schalock, Keith, & Stancliffe, 2005). An ongoing concern in this field is the assessment of quality of life for people who are unable to answer for themselves. In these instances, a proxy-respondent, or someone who knows the person with ID/DD well, will respond on his/her behalf. Research examining the efficacy of using proxy-respondents has yielded mixed results. While some studies failed to show statistically significant differences in responses (McVilly, Burton-Smith, & Davidson, 2000; Rapley, Ridgway, & Beyer, 1998; Stancliffe, 1999), other research has found meaningful differences between matched pairs of self- and proxy-respondents (Rapley et al., 1998). A principle limitation of these previous studies is the reliance on simplistic analytic methods, such as a t-test or correlation to determine if similarities existed between these matched groups. Methodologically, the previous studies on self- and proxy-respondents used t-tests and correlations to examine the relationship between self- and proxy-responses. The present study extends this body of research through the use of differential item functioning and measurement invariance to examine the use of self- and proxy-respondents. Specifically, this study examined the internal structure of the three objective quality of life measures on the National Core Indicators, including the Community Inclusion, Life Decisions, and Everyday Choices scales. Study findings revealed that several items function differently for these two groups when comparing these respondents based on the total score of the scale, which implies that construct-irrelevant differences impacted some item responses (American Educational Research Association [AERA], American Psychological Association [APA], National Council on Measurement in Education [NCME], 1999). In addition, an examination of measurement invariance established that metric invariance fits these data well, meaning that it is not possible to compare these two groups. These findings have policy-and program-evaluation implications, since construct irrelevance (AERA, APA, & NCME, 1999) indicates that for the items identified as functioning differently for these groups, responses also include another construct that is separate from the construct that the scale intends to measure. With these differences, it becomes more difficult to conclude that changes in outcome can be attributed to program social justice implications, since differential item functioning and measurement invariance assessments relate to fairness in testing (Huggins, 2013). When items function differently for groups, this means that respondents find these items difficult, which makes full participation challenging. When individuals find items confusing or hard, then responses may not accurately reflect their experiences. These findings have implications for policy and practice, since policy makers and practitioners use these scales to make program decisions for people with ID/DD.Hepperlen, Renee. (2015). Differential Item Functioning and Measurement Invariance of Self- and Proxy-Reports: An Evaluation of Objective Quality of Life Measures for People with Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities. Retrieved from the University Digital Conservancy, https://hdl.handle.net/11299/185606

Leader -member exchange (LMX) or fulfillment? The role of basic psychological needs in LMX relationships

Although numerous researchers have consistently found high leader-member exchange (LMX) relationships to be associated with a variety of positive organizational outcomes, our knowledge of the basic underlying nature of LMX remains impoverished after nearly three decades of research. In an attempt to better understand why LMX relations are so important, the present dissertation took a fresh look at this construct through the lenses of the economic man versus basic psychological needs perspectives of human motivation. The economic man conceptualization views people as being led by an “invisible hand” which is both rational and self-interested. In contrast psychological needs theory views humans as intrinsically driven to fulfill certain basic and fundamental psychological needs. Specifically, based on a multidisciplinary literature review, basic psychological needs were operationalized to include belongingness, autonomy, and self-esteem. Although the economic man perspective has been very influential in social science theories of human motivation—including LMX—psychological needs fulfillment may also likely be a key issue in the workplace. In this vein, the workplace needs fulfillment hypothesis was proposed. Based on a thorough review of past LMX theory and research, it was deemed appropriate to apply the workplace needs fulfillment hypothesis to the LMX. To test this assertion, 436 student employees, and 196 of their respective supervisors, completed an assessment battery. In support of the proposed hypotheses, LMX was shown to significantly predict employee needs fulfillment. In addition, needs fulfillment (examined both individually and together) was found to mediate the association between (a) LMX and job satisfaction, as well as (b) LMX and affective well-being in the workplace. Needs fulfillment was also importantly related to employee organizational citizenship behaviors (OCBs), as well as reduced intentions to leave. Considered in sum, the present study found broad support for the proposed hypotheses. The implications of these results, and the workplace needs fulfillment hypothesis in general, are discussed from both applied and theoretical perspectives